


A Few Useful Definitions

by danceswithgary



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-06-26
Updated: 2008-06-26
Packaged: 2017-10-04 00:50:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danceswithgary/pseuds/danceswithgary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life in the Pegasus Galaxy provides many opportunities to learn new things. Some may involve more pain than others.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Few Useful Definitions

_ **first aid** _

Immediate and temporary treatment of a victim of sudden illness or injury while awaiting the arrival of medical aid. The avoidance of unnecessary movement and over-excitation of the victim often prevents further injury. Conditions that require immediate attention to avert death include cessation of breathing (asphyxia), severe bleeding, poisoning, strokes, and heart attack. The essentials of first aid treatment also include the correct bandaging of a wound; the application of splints for fractures and dislocations; the effective methods of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and artificial respiration...

_ The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07_

John had been too busy trying not to lose too much blood from a severe compound fracture to calculate how long it had been since Ronon had headed for the gate and reinforcements. Splitting up had been the right decision at the time. Trying to carry an unconscious Rodney, as well as a crippled John, while simultaneously battling unexpectedly belligerent natives, would have left the entire team too vulnerable. John and Rodney had been tucked away in a convenient cave with Teyla on guard before the Runner had taken off doing what he did best.

Fortunately, Ronon's deliberately noisy, scrambling escape had drawn most of their pursuers after him, and the rest of the team had remained behind undetected...at first.

The other reason for the change in circumstances was Rodney's groaning return to consciousness, heralded by a thrashing struggle against John's restraining arms. Endeavoring to keep Rodney from doing further damage to his head had left John grasping for the edges of a fading awareness. After thoroughly and messily ridding his body of the last few protein bars he'd consumed, Rodney had been immediately apologetic for contributing to John's deteriorating condition. Confused by the location, his disorientation increased by the dark, Rodney had finally calmed enough to ask after Ronon and Teyla. While he attempted to adjust his own slipping bandage, John grunted out a truncated explanation about Ronon's absence. The chatter of gunfire at the front of the cave revealed Teyla's position.

After gingerly pressing against the bandage valiantly attempting to staunch the continued bleeding from his gruesome head wound, Rodney had grimaced in pain and then directed his attention to re-applying John's bandage. Rodney did his best, but shouting and an increase in gunfire brought John upright and fumbling for his gun. The abrupt change in position, in addition to the sudden jolt to John's leg, proved too much for his usual stubborn disregard of injuries to overcome. The light from the emergency lantern dimmed and then disappeared...along with the sound of Rodney's increasingly agitated voice calling John's name.

Not 'Colonel' or 'Sheppard.' His _name_.

_ **corpsman** _ [kawr'-muhn, kohr'-] noun.

An enlisted person in the U.S. Navy or Marines who has been trained to give first aid and basic medical treatment, especially in combat situations.  
_The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000_

Attempting to focus, at the same time his brain was making it a priority to relocate to the _outside_ of his skull, was turning out to be one of Rodney's greatest challenges to date. The fact that Rodney had managed to aggravate John's injury while he'd been trying to tend Rodney only served to make matters worse. Swaying on his knees as he bent over John's prone body, he muttered a mixture of curses and prayers under his breath. His shaking fingers fumbled with the bandage around John's leg, his breathing stuttering as he comprehended that the spreading pool of dark liquid on the cave floor meant John was running out of time.

The handgun that John had dropped after he lost consciousness was close to hand, but Rodney was depending on Teyla to keep them safe. Worst case, if Teyla was overrun, he'd have to try to pick the firearm up and conquer his double vision long enough to make a difference. It tore at him to let her handle their defense alone, but he knew that he couldn't leave John, couldn't let him die alone like Gall had.

The cessation of gunshots barely impinged on his fading awareness, but familiar voices managed to filter through the dizziness clouding Rodney's brain, and he felt himself being gently urged to one side. He winced as the increase in sound raised a corresponding intensity in the pounding in his head. The young marine, who had taken Rodney's place at John's side, moved quickly and efficiently. In a few short minutes, he'd applied fresh bandages and a temporary splint, run an IV line, and deployed the stretcher that would carry John back to Atlantis.

Relieved that John was receiving the proper care that he'd been unable to supply, Rodney let Teyla's strong hands guide him the rest of the way down until he felt the support of a stretcher against his back. The world dipped and spun as he left the dark cave behind, bounced sickeningly while he hung suspended between two strong soldiers, and then the sky swooped and went away.

_**triage**_ [tree-ahzh'] noun, adjective, verb, -aged, ag•ing.

A process for sorting injured people into groups based on their need for or likely benefit from immediate medical treatment. Triage is used in hospital emergency rooms, on battlefields, and at disaster sites when limited medical resources must be allocated.  
_The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2006_

"Rodney!"

"Now, now, settle down, Colonel. You don't want to be moving that leg any time soon. We're going to be taking you into surgery in a few minutes to reduce that break and get you sewn back together. I just wanted to make sure we didn't miss anything. Are you feeling any pain anywhere else? How about here? Here?"

"Unh...I'm...fine. You...how is Ro...McKay? Why aren't you looking at him instead of me, Carson? You're the best doctor for it. First, a bullet grazed him, and then he hit that rock _hard_, right on top of...."

"You're anything but fine, lad. You lost a lot of blood out there, and we need to make sure you don't lose much more. Don't worry yourself about Rodney. He's being run through the scanner...."

"No, no, no! I want you to tell me the Colonel's condition, then I'll consider lying down to let you treat me like a life-size voodoo doll and stick me full of needles! Carson! Listen, you bedpan-peddling excuse for a...."

"As you can likely hear for yourself, Colonel, he's conscious...although I dare say he's going to be complaining about a headache for a while. Now, just relax and let me give you a little something to get you ready for surgery."

"I'm okay, Carson. Just take care of Rodn...."

"That's it, close those eyes. Never worry, lad. That we will."

** _splint_ **

A rigid or semiflexible device for the immobilization of displaced or fractured parts of the body. Most commonly employed for fractures of bones, a splint may be a first-aid measure that allows the patient to be moved without displacing the injured part, or it may be a means of fixation to immobilize the bones until healing is complete. Any material that offers the degree of resistance required may be used for a temporary splint, e.g., cloth, gauze, plaster, or metal.  
_ The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07_

The argument between John and Carson had been loud enough to allow Rodney to pinpoint their location in the infirmary with ease. The Ancient scanner that Carson had used to check John's rate of healing had been shut down, but neither man had moved too far from it, both too occupied with the 'discussion' about John's fitness to be released from the infirmary. Barely balancing on his crutches, John had injudiciously waved a hand in protest, only to be rescued by Rodney's quick lunge forward. The fact that Rodney nearly dropped his laptop, in favor of saving John from a potentially nasty fall, surprised all three men.

Ultimately, Rodney had also rescued John from his _durance vile_ by promising to escort John to his quarters and ensure that 'the daft fool' rest as ordered.

Upon arrival, Rodney assisted John in settling on the bed, with his leg elevated as prescribed. Satisfied that John was comfortable, Rodney sat down at John's desk and opened his laptop to work, muttering resentfully about Carson's abysmal lack of concern about the headache that still lingered after his concussion.

Then he got up to hand John _his_ laptop, sat down at the desk again, got up to locate and deliver the DVD John wanted to watch, sat down at the desk again, got up to fetch John something to drink so that he could take the pain pills Carson had provided, sat down at the desk again, got to up to find the candy John had hidden....

And then he sat on the bed next to John with a very heavy sigh, shifted John's laptop off John's thighs to his to reduce the strain on John's leg, accepted the bag of M&amp;Ms John handed him, and watched a movie he'd seen at least a dozen times before. His arm and side pressed tight against John's on the narrow bed, and he felt the warmth of John's body along with the regular rise and fall of his chest as he breathed...quietly...alive.

**_asphyxia_** /[as-fik-see-uh] noun.

The extreme condition caused by lack of oxygen and excess of carbon dioxide in the blood, produced by interference with respiration or insufficient oxygen in the air; suffocation.  
_Random House Unabridged Dictionary. 2006_

It was dark when John woke, the air heavy, thick, almost too hard to breathe. His chest felt heavy, weighed down by more than fatigue. When he shifted in an attempt to suck in a deeper breath, pull in the oxygen he needed, a sleepy mumble protested. The arm that wasn't numb and unresponsive lifted cautiously, and a tentative exploration resolved the tickle under his chin as short-cropped hair. A little more thought, and the wet patch spreading across his sternum was also explained...and then his deduction was validated by another irritated mumble rumpling the damp fabric.

Lying there sweaty and cramped, John stared up into the darkness and listened to the slow, whiffling breathing, until he moved just enough to pull his arm free, jostled Rodney's head to the dip between his shoulder and chest, and took a deeper breath in relief. He hissed a bit at the painful tingle spreading up his arm, but it didn't stop him from curling the abused limb around Rodney's back to rest a palm on his equally sweaty side...after tucking him in a little closer to make sure he wouldn't fall off the bed by accident.

The careful movements had interrupted the not-quite-snores, but they resumed after a few moments of stillness, and John closed his eyes and counted each one until he slept without dreams.

**Author's Note:**

> SGA Flashfic First Aid Challenge


End file.
